California Land Conservancy Founding Members

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 Ed Sauls is CEO of The California Land Conservancy (CLC). He is also the President of The Sauls Company, a DBA of Development and Conservation Management, Inc. Through the CLC and The Sauls Company, Ed has been personally responsible for the conservation of more than 90,000 acres in California. Ed was Consulting Project Manager for the first Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP) and was instrumental in advocating the first “No Surprises” policy for habitat conservation planning to better ensure developer/landowner incentives for conservation. He has also been instrumental in several other major conservation policies, including being an advisor in formulating the Western Riverside Multispecies Habitat Conservation Plan (WRMSHCP), an advisor to the first Tribal Habitat Conservation Plan, and the first Conservation Banks. Finally, Ed was also a part of the first Sikes Act/Memorandum of Understanding for mitigation on federal land for a Calfornia state endangered species permit.

 Wayne White is a board member of The California Land Conservancy. Wayne spent 31 years with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). As the Chief of the Endangered Species Program and a Field Supervisor in Region 1 of FWS, Wayne developed ESA policy in early years of implementing the ESA. While managing the FWS’s largest field office in Sacramento CA, he became very involved with developing policy for conservation and mitigation banks for FWS.  Wayne was on the Board of Directors for the Center for Natural Lands Management for 12 years and the National Mitigation Banking Association holding officer positions as vice president one year and president for two years. He is currently a Board member with the Habitat Stewardship Foundation, The California Land Conservancy, and serves as chair for the Pacific Whale Foundation Board.

Michael Carroll is a board member of The California Land Conservancy. With over 20 years studying and implementing irrigation and conservation, Michael Carroll runs his team of landscapers with a wealth of knowledge in the industry, striving to always put his customers’ needs first. A graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Carroll successfully runs Eco Planet Landscaping using his expertise, technology and contemporary and proven agriculture practices. His experience includes weed abatement, invasive plant species removal, and habitat restoration throughout Southern California. Michael has also served as a planning commissioner for the City of Lake Elsinore Planning Commission.

 Jacob is a board member and federal attorney that focuses on environmental and conservation issues. He currently works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Counsel, primarily advising the National Marine Fisheries Service on Endangered Species Act matters. He previously worked for the U.S. Department of Interior's Office of the Solicitor and, before that, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Los Angeles District Office of Counsel. He has served as agency counsel on dozens of land management and ecosystem restoration projects covering many thousands of acres. Jacob has held various other positions with environmental law and policy nonprofits and clerked with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School with a Certificate in Environmental & Natural Resources Law and from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.

Melanie Schlotterbeck, CMP, is an advisor to the CLC on land conservation, acquisitions, and grant funding coordination. She serves as the California Natural Resources Secretary appointee on the 30x30 Partnership Coordinating Committee and has been involved in the statewide conservation of over 350,000 acres. She secured $15 million of public funds for land acquisitions in the Cleveland National Forest, $9.256 million for the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor, accomplished $3.265+ million in private/foundation grants for various non-profits and garnered $1.4+ million in membership campaigns and direct mail programs.